The Veil of Dust

There was nothing to see out the plane window for the last couple of hours of the flight from DC to Kuwait, the ground hidden by dust. The late-afternoon light in Kuwait was a reddish haze. We were met by a representative of Gryphon air, the military contractor that flies in and out of Baghdad and got boarding passes with no problem. The gate was right in front of a food court featuring a McDonald’s and a Pizza Hut. The irony of Ronald McDonald facing our departure gate with a raised hand of farewell was not lost on me. The gate was full of contractors, many appearing to be ex-military (buzz cuts, burly builds) or young 30-something careerists working for the State Department in the Emerald City. I think I also saw Martha Raddatz from ABC news on the flight. We flew up over southern Iraq, obscured by a veil of dust, in the early evening twilight. We landed without too many evasive maneuvers and taxied past the civilian airport over to the military side. The scene on the tarmac was organized chaos with each passenger actually picking up their checked bags right there and meeting their liaisons. We were met by an army staff sergeant and a representative of our Team Borlaug and then proceeded past long lines of blast walls and check points to Camp Victory. It was weird seeing the military personnel out for a run, but wearing their weapons (a requirement). We had a nice meal in the “DFAC” and then got a quick tour of our compound, with instructions of what to do when the warning is given for an incoming round. (You’ve got about 10 seconds.) I’ve just finished adjusting my body armor and helmet. The weight will take some getting used to. Looks like we’re off to the south tomorrow to join up with the rest of the team. More then.